Q400 Headsets
 

I was thinking of buying an ANR headset, I am currently an FI due to start on the Q400 very soon. When I did my MCC on the Saab 340 we used DC headsets.
My question is do we wear similar headsets in the Q400 and will investing in a pair of ANR be worthwhile? or is there only a need for the std small headsets just to talk to ATC because it's so quiet in there? :E Are we provided with decent headsets in the cockpit?

Thanks in advance

Rgds

D777

PARDON???? YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEAK UP A BIT.

:}

I suspect your soon to be employer is Europe's largest regional airline, and they are considering the introduction of ANR headsets for crew, but only as a replacement for the existing Sennheiser sets as they wear out. Current headset is OK, but it is still a far noisier environment than is likely to be good for you long term. If you have your own headset, use it - plenty of guys do.

Thanks MC

I was thinking of purchasing a set of DC H10 13X ANR, the Sennheiser sets are generally smaller and much more lightweight, in your humble experience would you say it is better to wear the Sennheisers provided or buy a set of similar ilk to these?
I also assume the sockets in the Dash are the std 2 pinned?

Sorry for the 20 questions, I just don't want to shed out £500 - £600 for the hell of it ;)

D777

Standard socket fittings, but cannot help with regard to the choice of headset. I'm too tight to buy my own, so I just run with whatever the company provides. Hopefully I'll get an ear trumpet instead of a cheap watch when I retire. :)

As an airline pilot, you can always claim an ANR headset cost back as a capital allowance from your taxable income.

It's still a Dash-8. It's not really very quiet at all, trust me. I use the Bose Aviation X; never going back to anything else. Your hearing is worth every penny. Don't know about the new David Clarks, they look good too, but the old ones were way too heavy to have on for 8 sectors a day. Aloha.

Is the cockpit chime still unbearably loud with the noise cancelling headsets?? I know Bombardier were investigating, but I hadn't heard of any modifications.

Joe

Hi!

My company provides the Q(!)100, 300 and 400 together with the Bose Aviation X. Special sockets installed in all acfts. Great headset!

Our company provides ANR headsets for the Dash 8 (300 & 400).
I also bought me a pair of earplugs:
http://neuroth.at/cms/cms.php?pageName=190
(sorry - page is only in German, but you'll get what I mean).

Wearing them beneath the ANR headsets makes the cockpit a nice and quiet place (appart from the volume of the headset now being put to almost max. :} )

As some have indicated, if you want performance, there's really no other alternative than the Bose X. The DC's cancel noise fine and they're comfy for about half an hour (I guess it takes getting used to), but I find them far to heavy. The Bose X are so light you forget you're wearing them. I fly the Saab and I haven't found a reason to use earplugs beneath the headsets (and the little Saab I believe is said to be the noisier one...). As for the price, well, you'll have to dish out for the time being, but you can allways claim it on your taxreturn.

/LnS